Justified
by LadyRhiyana
Summary: For Fenikkusuken: two drabbles. Battousai, Kaoru and Jin-ei.
1. Fanatic

A/N – A long, long time ago – I think it's actually been more than three years – I promised Fenikkusuken a gift drabble with the prompt "Batt/Kaoru, after Jin-ei". And so here are two. Many apologies for the late arrival!

Disclaimer – I don't own Ruroken, the canon characters, situations or settings. Please don't sue.

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**Fanatic**

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In the midst of the desperate fight, as he crossed swords with Udo Jin-ei, Kenshin came to a frightening realization.

He, of all people, knew how to gauge the rhythm of a duel. And at the moment, as the murderous assassin slowly, relentlessly drove Kenshin back, Jin-ei was faster, stronger, and more determined – if he continued on as he was, if Kenshin could not stop him, Jin-ei would soon overwhelm him and land a crippling blow.

Quickly, he chanced a look at Kaoru-dono, who was still straining helplessly to breathe, her eyes wide and panicked, her fists clenched desperately by her side. If Jin-ei killed him, what would happen to Kaoru-dono, who had taken him in and accepted him without hesitation?

…The concept was unthinkable. _Defeat_ was unthinkable.

He'd thought – perhaps foolishly – that there would be no need for killing once the Bakumatsu was done, but what use was that when Kaoru-dono was in danger and he could not save her?

To protect her, he would kill without qualms or hesitation, and do it with his whole heart.

But it was difficult to consciously revert to the lethal patterns of Hiten Mitsurugi after more than ten years of modified forms. It was even harder, at twenty-eight, to force his body to move as quickly as he had at eighteen. During his wandering years, when the majority of his opponents had been vastly inferior in skill and experience, he'd grown too used to easy fights – he'd deliberately abandoned his edge long ago, and now Kaoru-dono was paying the price.

He refused to believe it.

He _refused, _with all his resolve, that ruthless, fanatical resolve that had earned him the name Battousai_, _to even entertain the thought of defeat.

Panting, drawing on the whole force of his will, Kenshin gripped the hilt of his sword in preparation for battoujutsu_._ And he blocked out all thought of the past or the future, all his doubts and fears and conflicts about taking life, and he forced himself back into the mindset of the killer he had once been.

When he lifted his eyes once more, they glowed, predatory gold in the moonlight.

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…_Katsura had once said that he favoured Battousai above all his other assassins because Battousai had no dreams of ambition or reward, no thought of the past or the future, no desire other than the overthrow of the Shogunate. _

_It was his greatest gift in the shadows, but also his greatest tragedy – for there was nothing more to him._


	2. Execution

A/N – This one is a bit AU.

Disclaimer – I don't own Ruroken, the canon characters, settings or situations. No profit was made from the writing of it.

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**Execution**

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"Kurogasa."

The flattened, dead-calm voice stopped the murderer in mid-slaughter. Slowly, the knife lowered, still dripping fresh blood, and Kurogasa turned to glare at the interruption –

Kaoru's mind screamed at her to run, to escape, her heart pounding desperately, but her body could not move, frozen by the murderer's horrifying hypnosis.

A shadow, silhouetted against the entrance of the dark alley: as it drew closer, Kaoru saw that it was a man, dressed in dark blue gi and black hakama, two swords at his side, despite the sword ban.

Something in him caused her heart to lift, and for the first time since she had been dragged back into the alley, she felt a small shred of hope.

"Well, well, well," the murderer exclaimed gleefully. "So, you've come at last, Battousai. I thought I would have to slaughter half the city before you deigned to meet me."

"Your sick game ends here, Udo Jin-ei," the newcomer – the terrifying government assassin – said. "I will put a stop to it myself, in the Emperor's name." Slowly, deliberately, he crouched, slid one foot forward, and placed his hand over the hilt of his katana, waiting.

"Katsura's lap-dog," Kurogasa crowed, "Meiji's executioner. Where have all your fine ideals gone, Battousai? Your promised era is rotten to the core, and you are the arbiter of the corruption. How dare you judge –"

Before he could finish, the assassin drew, an arc of shining steel flashing out, cutting the words off mid-syllable in a spray of gushing crimson blood. The terrible paralysis broken, Kaoru screamed, and huddled against the wall of the alley, wiping frantically at the warm liquid now coating her face.

"Stop," a quiet, flat voice said, and calloused hands took hold of her wrists, stilling their frantic activity. "You'll hurt yourself." Kaoru found herself looking up at hitokiri Battousai, the notorious, terrifying shadow assassin. He knelt beside her, his sword – still unsheathed, Kurogasa's blood staining the blade – by his side.

"You killed him," she whispered, her eyes wide and dark.

"He was threatening the peace of the Meiji era," Battousai replied. It sounded like something he had repeated to himself, over and over again, until the words had lost all meaning.

"…thank you," she said quietly.

His eyes, dull and leaden, flew to hers – and as she watched, as he absorbed her gratitude, they flared, brightened to rich amber-gold. She did not know how long they stared at each other, huddled in the filth and stench of the alley – she only knew that when he finally looked away, she felt strangely bereft.

Slowly, he released her hands and straightened, reclaiming his sword and quickly flicking the blood clear before he sheathed it. When he turned back to her, he offered her his left hand, assistance in getting back to her feet – she stared blankly for a moment before grasping it and allowing him to pull her up.

His hand was warm, firm, sword-callous rough on his palm and fingers.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" he asked her, his voice low and distant.

She nodded, cleared her throat, and whispered, "Yes." He still had not released her hand.

"Very well, then. I will take you home."

Together, they left the alley and ventured out into the night. The streets were dark, and the neighbourhood was rough and unruly –

But Kaoru was not afraid.

FIN


End file.
